Online Poker Secrets

Last hand before the break

jen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:01:54 +0000

Here is a GREAT online poker secret that I learned (and use frequently now) from Phil Gordon:

Take a shot at stealing the blinds the last hand before the break, no matter what your position is. Many poker players will fold hands they would normally call with because they are either tired, need to use the bathroom, want to talk about their bad beats etc.

Being the Big Stack

jen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:04:47 +0000

Phil Gordon gives some great online poker secrets in regards to how to play when you are the big stack at the table in a poker tournament:

1. Never limp into a pot
2. If the blinds consist of tight players with average stacks, play almost any hand in position
3. Punish limpers with big raises from position when you think they are weak
4. Call from position more often when an opponent with an average stack enters the pot with a raise
5. Rarely, if ever, confront a short-stacked opponent without a premium poker hand
6. Try to win more hands before the flop

The Average Chip Stack

jen — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:01:37 +0000

Most online poker sites now have the programming to show you what the average chip stack is, but if they dont, you can use this easy calculation:

Average = Total number of chips in play, Divided By, Number of players remaining

While this shouldnt affect your game completely, it does help you in understanding how fast or aggressively you should play and more importantly, how fast your opponents are likely to play.

Play to Win

jen — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:59:58 +0000

When in a poker tournament, no matter what stage you are at: PLAY TO WIN! DO NOT PLAY TO SURVIVE!!!

Small Pocket Pairs

jen — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:27:59 +0000

“There aren’t too many feelings in No Limit Hold’em that are better than when you flop a set” – Phil Gordon

And we all know that this is true, definitely not a poker secret!!!

But the online poker secret is: Play these hands. You make the most money off these hands!

Time out

jen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:55:03 +0000

You dont always know how a poker player will react to what has happened to them at the table. Take a time out when the below circumstances take place to determine how the table has been affected:

1. A player just won a big pot
2. A player just lost a big pot
3. A player at the table just got caught bluffing
4. A player was just eliminated
5. A player is tilting
6. A player has likely changed gears
7. The blinds have been increased

Staying Alive

jen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:51:32 +0000

Here is a great online poker secret from Phil Gordon about Poker Tournament Strategy.

“Tournaments are about survival”. Doubling up early means much less regarding your chances of winning than doubling up with just a few tables remaining. The fewer fifty-fifty chances I take, especially early in a tournament, the better off I am.”

Double Gut VS. Open ended

jen — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:44:09 +0000

It is better to have a double gut draw than an open ended draw. The reason for this is, its much harder for your opponents to pick up on it when you actually hit your card.

First to the pot

jen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:17:13 +0000

“When the board is paired, the chance of someone having actually ‘caught a peice’ of the flop is much smaller than if there are cards of three different ranks on the board.” – Phil Gordon

The online poker secret here is: Regardless of what you have, if no one else has bet, BET!

Opponents & Pot Committed

jen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:43:25 +0000

“When a player enters a pot before the flop and has more than half of his chips in action, I consider him 100% pot committed. Given the opportunity, he’ll put in the rest of his chips before the flop. if he doesn’t get that chance, he’ll likely use them all to chase the pot after the flop.” – Phil Gordon

And the online poker secret is: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE A BLUFF AT THIS POKER PLAYER!!!!!!